Northeast on high alert, insurgents groups ask people to oppose I-day

Six insurgent groups have signed a document together asking people in the northeastern states not to celebrate India's 71st Independence Day. The rebel groups are Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP), Kamtapur Liberation Organisation (KLO), Kanglei Yaowl Kanna Lup (KYKL), National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) and People's Democratic Council of Karbi Longri (PDCK).

While KCP and KYKL are dreaded groups of Manipur, NDFB and PDCK are based in Assam, and NLFT is of Tripura. The KLO is the only group operating in North Bengal and is known to have revived its organisation after series of onslaught against them almost two decades ago.

Getting the message, security has been intensified in Assam, Manipur and Tripura. All such groups are believed to have been camped in Myanmar, around 30 km away from the international border from Arunachal Pradesh up to southern Mizoram and southern Tripura tri-junction bordering Bangladesh.

The documents have been signed by President of KCP, K.L. Meitei, Jibon Singh, chairman of KLO, N. Oken, chairman of KYKL, B.R. Ferengga, General Secretary of NDFB, S. Borok of NLFT and J.K. Lijang of PDCK.

Interestingly, both KCP and KYKL are part of Core-Com―a conglomeration of dozen of insurgent groups of Manipur―and Core-Com has not issued any such instruction to people of the four states.

The Intelligence Bureau has reportedly sent a message to all the concerned states. While security in Assam has already been intensified due to NRC issues, special alert has been sent to West Bengal and Tripura, two Bengali dominated states of India.

Assam Chief Minister N. Biren Singh has met with the security personnel, including the Army and Assam Rifles present in the state, and stressed on intense vigil at five districts of the states―Ukhrul, Chandel, Tamenglong and two Imphal districts.

An officer of the Assam Rifles has said, “We are already on high vigil at the border. All the insurgent groups would try to do something on Independence Day. But nothing would happen as we are on constant vigil.”

Intelligence groups are also surprised by the fact that no threats have been received yet from groups such as the ULFA (I), NSCN (K) and NDFB (S) which are more powerful and lethal in the northeast. Also PLA and UNLF, which are part of the greater coalition of Core-Com remained silent.

NSCN (K), ULFA (I) and NDFB (S) recently are on the back foot because of the violation of ceasefire with the Myanmar army. Senior leaders such as Khango Konyak of NSCN (K), Paresh Barua of ULFA and Songbijit of NDFB (I) have been moved to safer shelters due to huge military operations conducted by the Myanmar army, apparently at the insistence of the Narendra Modi government.

The eastern command of the Indian Army has sent a special communique to the northeast divisions about deployment of the Army in different parts of the seven states in the wake of the threats.